Election body wins 14 prosecutions, loses four

Moch. N. Kurniawan and Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) revealed on Tuesday that it had recorded thousands of election-related violations by late February with 14 people being punished by courts across the country.

Committee member Didik Supriyanto said the 14 convictions had been notched up in Jakarta and South Kalimantan.

He admitted, however, that the Committee had lost a total of four cases -- in Manado, North Sulawesi; Yogyakarta; and Palopo and Mamuju in South Sulawesi.

"We lost the cases in Manado and Yogyakarta because of a lack of evidence, but we think the cases in Palopo and Mamuju should be investigated," he told reporters.

The country holds its legislative elections on April 5, with the official campaign period running from March 11 through April 1.

Parties or coalitions of party garnering 3 percent of the votes in the House of Representatives (DPR) or 5 percent of the total votes cast will be allowed to field candidates in the country's first ever direct election scheduled for July 5, with a possible runoff on Sept. 11.

According to Didik, a key video which he said showed illegal campaigning by Golkar in Palopo had disappeared from the court.

Regarding the Mamuju district court verdict, Didi said the suspect should not have been acquitted as he had engaged in campaigning outside the allotted period.

Separately, General Elections Commission member Hamid Awaluddin presented data showing that 13 political parties had nominated entertainers as candidates.

The parties were the New Indonesia Alliance Party (Partai PIB), Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK), United Democratic Nationhood Party (Partai PDK), Indonesian Nahdlatul Community Party (PPNUI), Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI), Reform Star Party (PBR), Pancasila Patriot Party, Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party, Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), Regional United Party (PPD), Socialist Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Development Party (PPP).

Among the entertainers standing are Ayu Azhari, Rhoma Irama (PBR), Oppie Andaresta (Pancasila Patriot Party), Christine Hakim (PNBK), and Obbie Mesakh (PIB).

Separately, the Jakarta Police's traffic division has distributed a circular to all 24 parties urging them to respect traffic regulations when conducting street rallies to avoid accidents, brawls and traffic congestion.

The circular bans party supporters from using open trucks or other freight vehicles during rallies. Supporters have to use passenger vehicles, it says, adding that sitting on the tops of buses is also prohibited.

"We will enforce traffic regulations as usual -- no leniency for party supporters," traffic division chief Sr. Comr. Sulistyo Ishak said on Tuesday.

However he conceded that it would be difficult to uphold the zero tolerance policy during the campaign.

"If the number of supporters is too large, the police might not fine the supporters," he added.

Concern over possible clashes between party supporters has been rising in Jakarta as the official campaign period draws near.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Prasetyo said on Tuesday that during the campaign period 4,000 police officers would be deployed to ensure security.

Previously, he had said that on the election day on Apr. 5, the Jakarta Police would field 15,968 police officers.